Axial flow compressor construction and bladed rotors therefor



May 24, 1 960 D. J. CLARKE AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSOR CONSTRUCTION AND BLADEID ROTORS THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1953 INVENTOR. WL/M May 24, 1960 CLARKE 2,937,806

AXIAL FLOW COMPRESSOR CONSTRUCTION AND, BLADED ROTORS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 12, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent Daniel J. Clarke, Bay City, Mich, assignor to The Stalker Corporation, a corporation of Michigan Filed Feb. 12, 1953, Ser. No. 336,583

3 Claims. (Cl. 230-434) This invention relates to-bladed axial flow rotors for fluid machines such as compressors, turbines and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a rotor comprised of sheet metal stampings wherein the side plates are laterally supported from the blade supporting plates.

Another object is to provide a plurality of blade-carrying plates so that the number of blades can be a prime number.

Still another object is to provide a rotor structure adapted to sustain large axial loads from the blades.

Other objects will appear from the description, drawings and claims.

These objects are accomplished by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which \Fig. 1 is a fragmentary axial section through the rotor on line 1-1 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 is a section along line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 33 in Fig. 1 through the cups supporting the side plates;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the rotor of Fig. 1 shown in the compressor case;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary axial view of the tour bladecarrying plates;

Fig. 6 is a radial view of a fragment of the rotor hub rim; and 4 Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the flanged rim seg-. ment bet-ween blades.

Referring to the drawings and particularly Figs. 1-4 the rotor is indicated generally as 10 and the case as 12 enclosing the rotor to sustain the fluid pressure created by the rotor.

The rotor is comprised of the blades 11 supported on the hub structure which includes hub 13, the toothed clutch rings 16, the side plate 20 and 22, the stem or blade supporting plates 2629 and segments 34, and the rings 36. The rim segments 34 collectively form a rim means capable of sustaining the pressure rise from one side of the rotor to the other. 32. The end surfaces are crimped at 33 to seal the ends of the respective blades.

As shown in Figs. 1-5 and particularly in Fig. 5 the stem plates each have integral stems 40 spaced peripherally. Each stem is corrugated radially, defining on one surface the splines 41 and 43. These are shown terminating about two thirds of the way out from the roots of the blade in Fig. 1. The corrugations are omitted in Fig. 5. Each stem is twisted somewhat about the neck adjacent to the central portion of the plate.

The stems of the several plates interdigitate and extend radially outward, each stem through an opening 56 (Fig. 6) in the rim means.

The blade envelopes 32 are bonded to the stems preferably by soldering and each extends radially inward somewhat beyond the rim means as indicated by the lower edges of the blades at 42 in Fig. 1. The envelope is also bonded to the rim segment 34 along the rim surface thereof.

The blade supporting plates 27 and 28 extend radially inward to the toothed clutch ring 16 and are bonded to the flanges 44 and 46. These plates have the inward directed cups 48 bonded to each other for stiffening and anti-vibration purposes. Also since these plates spread apart or diverge at the clutch ring 16 they provide strength against the axial forces arising from the blade loads.

The axial extensions or cups 48 are pressed or stamped in the plates. The cup on one plate abuts the cup on the adjacent plate. The abutting or faying surfaces are preferably fused together by solder.

The plates 26 and 29 terminate about midway be tween the rim means and the clutch 16 of the hub structure to save weight. of cups 50 which. extend axially outward to support a side plate to which it is bonded as by fused metal between the faying surfaces of the cups and the side plates.

Fig. 6 shows the openings 56 in the rim means of the hub structure to accommodate the blades. These openings are formed between the adjacent rim segments 34, that is between the flanges 62 and 64 which are bonded to the blade walls. The flanges 66 and 68 are bonded to the side plates of the hub structure.

The bonding can take the form of welding but preferably is soldering. Suitable solders are for instance, copper, copper alloys, and silver alloys or mixtures.

In compressor and turbine rotors the fluid pressure I and density varies significantly between the leading and The blade envelopes are trailing edges and the rim segment surfaces serve to sustain the pressure and the variations of it.

While I have illustrated specific forms of the invention, it is to be understood that variations may be made therein and that I intend to claim my invention broadly as indicated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination in a rotor for an elastic fluid machine adapted to substantially alter the density of the fluid flowing therethrough, a hub structure having an axis of rotation and including a rim means, side plates at axially opposite sides of said rim means being fixed thereto, a plurality of stem plates between said side plates spaced therefrom, each said stem plate having a plurality of stems spaced peripherally thereabout and chine adapted to substantially alter the density of the fluid flowing therethorugh, a hub structure having an axis of rotation and including a hollow sheet metal rim means, side plates at axially opposite sides of said rim means being fixed thereto, a plurality of sheet metal stem plates between said side plates, each said stem plate having a plurality of sheet metal stems spaced peripherally thereabout and extending radially outward of said rim means therethrough, the stems of different plates interdigitating, a sheet metal blade envelope enclosing each said stem and being bonded thereto, each said envelope being a continuous sheet chordwise between leading and trailing edges of said blade some of said stem plates having axial extensions abutting said side plates and other said stem plates having axial extensions extending from one stem plate to the other to stiffen said hub structure.

3. In combination in a rotor for an elastic fluid machine adapted to substantially alter the density of the fluid flowing therethrough, a hub structure having an Each of these plates has a plurality axis of rotation and including a rim means, side plates of axially opposite sides of said rim means being fixed thereto, a plurality of sheet metal stem plates between said side plates and spaced therefrom, each said stem plate having a plurality of sheet metal stems spaced peripherally thereabout and extending radially outward of said rim means therethrough, the stems of difiere'nt plates interdigitating, a blade envelope enclosing each said stem and being bonded thereto, each said envelope being a continuous sheet chordwise between leading and trailing edges of said blade, some of said stem plates having axial extensions abutting said side plates and other said stem plates having axial cup-shaped extensions extending from one stem plate to the other to stiffen said hub structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,142,690 Francke June 8, 1915 4 De Terranti July 27, 1915 Seymour July 19, 1921 Harvey June 20, 1922 Seymour Dec. 18, 1923 Seidel Aug. 12, 1924 Darling Aug. 6, 1946 Hans Mar. 7, 1950 Chilton Jan. 9, 1951 Buck May 15, 1951 Bachle July 22, 1952 Stalker Aug. 18, 1953 Stalker May 18, 1954 Thorp July 30, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain July 23, 1952 Germany Aug. 7, 1952 Germany Oct. 20, 1952 Germany Dec. 22, 1952 

